1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed invention relates to an improved wheeled caddy that enables a user to customize the caddy based on an end use.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A collapsible wheeled caddy has been disclosed in the prior art to carry groceries and other items. The wheeled caddy has a front and back panel, vertically hinged side panels, a hinged bottom panel and retractable handles within the back panel. The disclosed improvements enable the caddy to be used for more specialized purposes. The disclosed caddy has a lid that is hingeably attached to the edge of the front panel. The 270xc2x0 rotation enables the lid to lie proximate the front panel when in an open position and adjacent the edge of the caddy when closed. Depending upon the dimensioning of the hinge, the lid can be recessed. In some embodiments, the lid rests on two or more of the edges, while in other embodiments the lid rests only on a single edge. The front panel of the caddy can be recessed to receive the lid, placing the lid on the same plane as said front panel. Alternatively, the hinge can be dimensioned to space the lid from the recess, bringing it in contact with the front panel. Preferably, the lid has arcs, dimensioned to accommodate the handles when said lid is dosed, in the lid edge opposing the hinge. The lid can contain at least one storage member.
The recess can accommodate one or more storage members that have been dimensioned to be affixed with the recess. Alternatively, a storage panel, containing at least one storage member, can be configured to fit within the recess. A pair of hangers is configured to interact with the hingeable sides of the caddy. The hangers have a back support configured to lie adjacent the hinged side panels. A top plate is at right angles to the back support and a back panel is at a right angle to the top plate. The dimensioning between the back panel and back support from a snap fit over the hinged side panel edge. The hangers can have L-shaped brackets that extend at a right from the back panel. The leg of the L opposing the back panel serves to retain items, such as hanging file jackets, within the bracket. The back panel can, alternatively, continue to the bottom panel. Clips, or other retaining members, can be placed on the back panel to removably affix items to the back panel. An equipment receiving area can be placed in the caddy that has been configured to receive equipment, such as a stapler, and is designed to enable the equipment to be stored and used while in the receiving area.
A support rod can be used to provide support to portions of said lid not lying adjacent an edge of the caddy. The opposing edges of the caddy can be notched to receive the support to fit within the recess. A pair of hangers is configured to interact with the hingeable sides of the caddy. The hangers have a back support configured to lie adjacent the hinged side panel. A top plate is at right angles to the back support and a back panel is at a right angle to the top plate. The dimensioning between the back panel and back support form a snap fit over the hinged side panel edge. The hangers can have L-shaped brackets that extend at a right angle from the back panel. The leg of the L opposing the back panel serves to retain items, such as hanging file jackets, within the bracket. The back panel can, alternatively, continue to the bottom panel. Clips, or other retaining members, can be placed on the back panel to removably affix items to the back panel. An equipment receiving area can be placed in the caddy that has configured to receive equipment, such as a stapler, and is designed to enable the equipment to be stored and used while in the receiving area.
A stacking caddy can also be incorporated with the wheeled caddy. The stacking caddy consists of a front panel, a back panel, vertically hinged side panels, hinged bottom panel, and a lid. The back panel has a handle recess that is dimensioned to receive the handles, as well as a handle retaining member to prevent inadvertent removal of the handles from the recess. The lid is hingeably affixed to the front panel edge, lying proximate the front panel when open and adjacent at least one caddy edge when closed. Preferably caddy receiving channels are placed in the bottom of the stacking caddy that are dimensioned to receive the edges of the wheeled caddy, preventing lateral movement between the stacking caddy and wheeled caddys.
A spacer unit can be used to stack two wheeled, or a wheeled and stacking, caddys. The spacer unit has a top receiving area with wheel wells, alignment prongs, and locking members. The bottom receiving area has a caddy receiving channel dimensioned to receive the top edges of the lower caddy, a handle receiving area and locking members. The bottom receiving area of the spacer unit is placed on a first, bottom, caddy and locked to the bottom caddy. A second, wheeled caddy, is then placed in the top receiving area, and locked to the spacer unit. The spacer unit wheel wells and alignment prongs interact with the top caddy to prevent lateral movement.
A cover can be provided for one or more of the caddys to protect the contents. The covers has a body with a perimeter slightly greater than said caddy, a first height equal to the height of one caddy and a lid that is removable from at least a portion of the body. Preferably the lid is slit to form an open handle receiving area. The cover is open at the end opposite the lid. The cover can have a second height that is approximately equal to at least one caddy and is in the form of flaps. Attachment members are placed on the cover to individually secure each of the flaps to the cover body. Alternatively, the second height, equal to at least one caddy and having a periphery equal to the cover, is provided. The second height has open ends, at least one which has securing means that interact with securing means on the open end of the cover.
A container case can also be affixed to the front or back panels of the caddy. The case has a hinged lid and contains multiple self-leveling containers affixed to a rotatable brace. The rotatable brace folds to bring the containers within the case when the lid is dosed and extends the containers in an accessible manner when the lid is open.